The present invention relates to nozzles or suction heads for vacuum apparatus.
A wide variety of nozzles or suction heads for vacuum cleaners and vacuum apparatus are old and well-known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 1,000,383 issued Aug. 15, 1911, to O. Drake for xe2x80x9cShoe for Vacuum Cleanersxe2x80x9d shows a vacuum nozzle or shoe for a vacuum cleaner. This nozzle includes an interior vacuum chamber and a bottom plate with slots or openings therein. The slots include stock or wedding, apparently to prevent dirt from dropping back through the slots when the vacuum cleaner is not running. U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,361, issued Mar. 21, 1995, to K. Cason for xe2x80x9cVacuum Cleaner for Submerged Non-Parallel Surfacesxe2x80x9d discloses a vacuum pool cleaner with a nozzle having an open bottom face. U.S. Pat. No. 2,280,751, issued Apr. 21, 1942, to H. Davis for xe2x80x9cVacuum Cleaner Nozzlexe2x80x9d discloses a vacuum cleaner nozzle having a plurality of slots in a bottom plate opening through the plate into a relatively deep vacuum nozzle chamber leading directly to the vacuum hose. The nozzle is intended for dry vacuuming, being provided with an electrostatic bottom plate.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved nozzle or suction head finding particular but not necessarily exclusive utility for vacuum removal of water or other liquids from a surface such as a carpet and/or fabrics including upholstery, padding, garments, mattress and wall coverings, etc.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle or suction head of the foregoing character which efficiently and rapidly removes standing water, stain removal solutions and other liquids from fabric or carpeting installed on a floor.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved nozzle or suction head of the foregoing character which increases the flow of water therethrough upon the application of suction to facilitate rapid and thorough removal of water and thereby prevent moisture damage to a carpet, its pad and/or floor.
The present invention is embodied in an efficient vacuum nozzle for removing liquid from a surface which may be almost any surface. It works well on carpeting and extremely well on padded carpeting.
The nozzle or suction head is formed by a nozzle body defining a shallow, internal, enclosed vacuum chamber. A vacuum source connector is in fluid communication with the chamber and is adapted to receive a vacuum source conduit or hose.
The nozzle body also defines an outer bottom surface and a plurality of vacuum suction ports opening between the chamber and the nozzle body""s bottom surface. As such, when the nozzle is connected to a vacuum source, its movement across a water or fluid saturated surface effects removal of water therefrom through the ports and chamber to the vacuum source.
Each port preferably has a throat portion opening into the chamber and a conical outer enlarged portion opening into the bottom surface. In a preferred embodiment of the nozzle, the outer surface of the vacuum source connector serves as a handle for the nozzle.